Mississippi DMR decision clears the way for MDA oil and gas leasing in state waters.

On December 17th, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) approved the Mississippi Development Authority's (MDA) offshore leasing and seismic testing rules, declaring them not in conflict with the Coastal Zone Management Program. DMR's Coastal Program regulations require it to "consider direct effects of proposed actions, as well as the indirect or induced effects". When unintended effects can be reasonably expected, the agency must examine these as well.

This consistency review was an opportunity for DMR to flex its state agency muscles and ask MDA to produce a credible economic impact statement, weighing the costs and benefits of drilling and production rigs in state waters. No muscles were flexed - to date no economist has seriously analyzed whether expected revenue from tourism or mineral royalties is likely to be larger, or how drilling rigs would affect coast tourism. Conveniently, both DMR and MDA have chosen to analyze leasing and seismic testing as if they will not be followed by drilling and production.

A piecemeal analysis, like this one, is usually biased toward someone's advantage. MDA's review gives Phil Bryant, our "energy governor", what he wants despite foreseeable indirect and unintended costs to the environment and tourism economy. After the BP disaster experience, DMR's review result is just wishful thinking. The Governor and his state agencies are in a rush to exploit unproven oil and gas reserves, and risk one of the state's best proven assets - tourism growth based on a beautiful and welcoming coast.

Andrew Whitehurst

Water Policy Director, Gulf Restoration Network

Madison

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Mississippi DMR decision clears the way for MDA oil and gas leasing in state waters.

On December 17th, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) approved the Mississippi Development Authority's (MDA) offshore leasing and seismic testing rules, declaring them not in